Process for the continuous formation of intermediates



Feb. 22, 1966 R. P. CARREKER, JR 3,235,960

PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS FORMATION OF INTEHMEDIATES Filed March 24. 1961 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 J25 I 7a 3 In ve n to r: Ro/dnd F? Cdr-r'eker- Jr,

HAS A i: orne y.

Feb. 22, 1966 P, CARREKER, JR 3,235,960

PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS FORMATION OF INTERMEDIATES Filed March 24. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W A 3 e3 38 3 1 I I m 1/ 42 j L42 /4 1 a? q j 1,,, l 1:

Inventor:

Fan/and F. Ca r'r'eker c/nj.

United States Patent 3,235,960 PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS FORMATION OF INTERMEDIATES Roland P. Carreker, Jr., Schenectady, N.Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 98,087 3 Claims. (Cl. 29-527) This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 530,283, filed August 24, 1955, now Patent No. 3,008,201.

This invention relates to the continuous production of solid materials from the fluid state and more particularly to a process whereby a solid body of substantially homogeneous composition may be continuously produced by accretion.

A large portion of the cost of manufacturing sheet, rod, tube, strip and filamentary stock materials is directly assignable to the expenses incurred in the manufacture of the primary and intermediate forms of the material from which these stock materials are manufactured. For example, in the manufacture of a stock material such as copper Wire, a large capital investment is required for equipment such as large melting furnaces, large casting apparatus, ingot or wire bar reheating furnaces, primary and secondary rolling equipment, pickling apparatus, heavy duty handling apparatus and the like, in order to produce Wire rod (an intermediate stock material) which may then be drawn into wire of appropriate size through conventional wire drawing apparatus. Substantially the same basic apparatus is needed for the manufacture of intermediate stock material to be formed into tubes, sheets, rods, strip and like stock materials, as well as specialty stock materials such as bus bar, for example. While the foregoing examples relate to copper, it is obvious that substantially the same manufacturing procedure is followed with both ferrous and other non-ferrous metals and alloys and to some degree with some non-metallic materials.

In general, it may be said that a large portion of the cost of such stock materials is the result of employment of expensive equipment and necessary labor to process raw materials into an intermediate material having the necessary properties and dimensions to then be formed into the above-recited stock materials.

My invention is concerned with a process for continuously producing intermediate stock materials for the further production of the above-mentioned stock materials and which may be readily combined with conventional processes for the production of such stock materials. A principal object of my invention is the provision of a process for continuously casting intermediate stock material. A further object of my invention is the provision of a process for substantially continuously producing stock materials such as Wire, sheet, tube, strip and rod stock without employing large melting, casting and rolling equipment. A yet further object of my invention is the provision of a process for the continuous production of stock materials whereby a portion of the product may be recirculated in a cyclical manner.

In general my invention relates to a process for continuously depositing by accretion, liquid or molten material upon an elongated body having a first cross-sectional configuration and area such as a rod, tube, sheet, strip or wire, for example, having either the same "Ice chemical composition as the liquid material, or having a quite different chemical composition, thereby forming an elongated body having a second cross-sectional area greater than the first. An essential novel feature of this method is the step of subjecting the elongated body to a vacuum just before and at the time that the said body is introduced into a molten bath of the metal to be cast onto the elongated body. Another special feature of this new process is the step of withdrawing the elongated body and casting thereon from the molten bath through a gaseous atmosphere which is substantially non-reactive with the molten metal.

Broadly defined, then, the present novel method comprises the steps of cleaning the surface of an elongated solid body to remove contaminants therefrom, then running the cleaned elongated solid body through an evacuated region to remove gaseous and vapor phase contaminants from the surface thereof, and finally introducing the clean elongated body directly from the evacuated region into a bath of molten material to cause accretion of molten material and an increase in the cross-sectional area of the said body.

As disclosed in my aforesaid copending application the apparatus of my invention is adapted to reduce the cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the elongated body having the second cross-sectional area to substantially the cross-sectional area and configuration of the first elongated body and means are preferably provided for the removal of a length of the elongated body corresponding in volume to the amount of liquid or molten material deposited or accreted upon the elongated body as the product. The remaining portion of the elongated body is substantially identical in composition, crosssectional area, configuration and volume to the elongated body prior to accretion and means are provided for recirculating this remaining portion through the apparatus and to repeat the cycle as often as may be desired. In practicing my invention in its broader aspects it Will occur to those skilled in the art that the principles disclosed hereinafter may be applied for continuously casting many different materials and to fOI'IIl many different products.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus which may be used to carry out the process of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a vertical section of an embodiment of an element of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a heating and drying component of the FIG. 1 apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of a portion of the FIG. 1 apparatus which may be conveniently referred to as a vacuum entrance chamber;

FIG. 5 is a detail of an element of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a 'vertical section of a portion of my FIG. 1 apparatus which may be referred to as the entrance port;

FIG. 7 is a schematic vertical section of a melting furnace adapted to be used with my FIG. 1 apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a section taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7 showing a detail of the furnace; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary schematic view, partly in section, of another apparatus which may be employed in carrying out the method of this invention.

In its broader aspects my invention may best be understood and described with reference to FIG. 1 of the drawing which is a schematic representation of an embodiment thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, an elongated body 1 of a length of a material in the solid state having a first cross-sectional configuration and area is continuously withdrawn from a storage means 2 such as a reel or the like and is guided by any appropriate means such as a sheave, pulley or drum 3, through preliminary treatment apparatus which may consist of a conventional straightener 4, a conventional surface cleaning apparatus 5, for example, an electrolytic cleaning bath, and a rinsing or washing bath 6. The straightened, cleaned and still wet body 1 is guided by means 7 which is similar to guide means 3 into and through an elongated enclosure or tubular conduit 8 comprising a drying means 9 which may be supplied with a neutral atmosphere from a source 10 by means of conduit 10', conventional power driven feeder rolls 1-1 which frictionally engage and drive body 1 into a vacuum entrance chamber 12 provided with a vacuum source 13, which permits the body to pass therethrough while subject to vacuum but which prevents the passage of atmosphere therewith, as will be described in greater detail subsequently, and an entrance port 14 provided in the bottom of a crucible 15. The body 1 is then passed through a bath of molten material contained in crucible 15, the bath suitably but not necessarily having the same chemical composition as body 1.

Molten material in crucible 15 accretes or deposits and solidifies upon the outer surface of the body 1 increasing its cross-sectional area appreciably into an elongated body 16 which, if desired, may be of substantially homogeneous composition. After emerging from crucible 15, body 16 may be subjected to water sprays from jet nozzles 15a and thereby cooled and then be passed between sizing apparatus, such as a pair of sizing rolls 17 which function to remove or correct minor surface irregularities. Inadequate cooling prior to such mechanical working will result in cracking of body 16. Body 16 is guided by means of a cooling duct or conveyor 18 to any suitable receiving means such as a reel 19 where it may be temporarily allowed to accumulate. Body 16 is withdrawn from the receiving means 19 and passed through conventional reducing apparatus 20 such as, for example, wire, rod or tube drawing apparatus or rolling equipment wherein the body 16 is reduced to a body 1' having a cross-sectional area and configuration substantially identical to body 1. In the event that body 1 is a flat strip or sheet it will, be understood that it may be convenient to cut the material into discrete lengths and subsequentially rejoin them and it may be necessary to remove some material from the edges of the body by slitting or like operation in order to attain the desired crosssectional configuration and area.

Body 1 is preferably allowed to accumulate at a temporary storage means 21 such as a reel or the like, until a length of material has been produced substantially equal to the length of the original body 1. At this point, preferably body 1 is cut and the remainder of the body diverted to storage means 22 as product 23. As indicated by arrow 24 product 23 may be substantially continuously fed to other fabricating apparatus or may be packaged at this point as a final product.

The portion of body 1' temporarily stored at 21 is supplied to storage means 2 and serves to replenish body 1 and permit continuous operation of the apparatus.

As the body 1 is continuously passed through crucible 15 and the molten material contained therein, molten material is continuously removed from the crucible. In order to control quality and to maintain continuous operation, the depth of the molten material in the crucible is preferably maintained substantially constant by continuously resupplying the bath and crucible 15 with additional molten material at a rate commensurate with the rate of removal. This may be conveniently accomplished by providing a melting apparatus such as a furnace 25, for example. Material having the appropriate composition, for example, substantially the same as body 1, is melted in the furnace 25 and permitted to flow therefrom via a conduit 26, regulating .valve 27 and a heated launder or conduit 28 into the bath contained in crucible 15.

From the foregoing it may be readily seen that I have provided an apparatus in which continuous casting by accretion upon a length of stock material provides an intermediate stock material which may be processed to provide additional stock material for recirculation through the apparatus in a substantially continuous supply of product. It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the foregoing disclosed apparatus may be conveniently utilized to produce stock materials such as wire, rod, bar, strip, tubular or sheet material composed of any material capable of being continuously cast in this manner.

It will be appreciated that certain modifications and alterations of the apparatus may be necessary or desirable depending upon the mechanical and physical characteristics of the material being produced. For example, if a material such as copper, for example, if used and it is to be worked cold in the reduction apparatus 20, it is necessary that the residual heat from the casting operation be extracted from body 16 before it is introduced into the reduction apparatus. In this event, conduit 18 is preferably provided with any effective cooling means such as coils through which coolant may be circulated and water may also be sprayed on the body 16 if desired, to supplement or accelerate the cooling. Additionally, since the temperature of body 16 is only a few degrees below its melting point as it emerges from the bath, it may be desirable to enclose the melting crucible 15, sizing roll 17, and cooling conduit 18 and to provide a protective or reducing atmosphere therein to prevent excessive oxidation of body 16 while it is at elevated temperatures.

If, on the other hand, body 16 may more advantageously be hot worked, the cooling function of conduit 18 may be omitted. Similarly, if surface oxidation of body 16 is an insignificant incident, the protective atmosphere provisions recited previously may be omitted.

In view of the fact that any suitable commercially available apparatus may be used at temporary storage stations 2, 19, 21 and 22 and since the specific details of such apparatus are well known in the materials handling art, no further discussion of this matter will be undertaken at this point. Similarly, the specific details of guides 3 and 7, the straightener 4, the electrolytic cleaner 5, the washer 6, the feeder rolls 11, sizing roll 17, cooling conveyor or conduit 18, valve 27 and heater launder or conduit 28 are well known in the art and will not be discussed in further detail.

In its broader aspects, my invention relates to the continuous casting or deposition by accretion of a molten material upon an elongated body of the same or different material moving through the molten material to produce an elongated body of greater cross-sectional area, a portion of which may be reduced by plastic deformation to the original cross-sectional dimensions of the elongated body before accretion and retreated while the remainder of the so-produced elongated body is abstracted or reserved as the product. As previously indicated the invention centers in the novel vacuum entry feature and in the combination of the step of subjecting the substrate body to a vacuum of less than about 5 mm. of mercury as that body is introduced into the molten dipping bath and the step of removing from the bath the said body and casting accreted thereon through an atmosphere of gas which is not reactive with the molten metal surface of the casting.

With particular reference to FIG. 2, the continuous, casting or accretion crucible 15 schematically shown is; preferably surrounded by any satisfactory thermal in sultating material 30 in which is embedded a controllable heating means such as electrical heating elements 31, for example. The crucible is provided with an opening 32 in its bottom, preferably comprising a collar-like structure or entrance port 14 which provides a passageway for elongated body 1. The internal dimensions and crosssectional configuration of the passageway in the entrance port 14 are such that while body 1 may freely pass through, the clearance is small enough so that molten material in bath 33 may not leak downwardly around body 1 as it passes upwardly through the entrance port 14 and bath 33. Body 16, however, is subjected to vacuum in port 14 and, in fact, until the body is submerged in bath 33. Thus the clearance necessary to permit free passage of body 16 through the port chamber 12 constitutes in effect an extension of this vacuum chamber all the way to the surface of the bath in the region of opening 32.

In operation, body 1, shown as a rod having a circular cross-section for purposes of disclosure, is continuously passed upward through the entrance port 14 and bath 33 and emerges from the bath as elongated body 16 having a larger cross-sectional area but retaining the general configuration of body 1, or, as illustrated, a circular cross-section.

As shown, as the relatively cold body 1 passes through bath 33 it extracts heat from the molten material suitably of the same composition in the bath in contact with its surface and this molten material is deposited upon the surface of body 1 causing it to progressively increase in size by the accretion. If the deposited material has the same chemical composition as body 1, the resulting body 16 is compositionally homogeneous.

I found, however, that when a molten material such as molten copper, for example, is applied in this manner to a copper rod or bar, that relatively minor oxide films or other surface carried impurities such as oil or grease films on the rod may cause gross surface irregularities to be formed on the resulting body 16. The elimination of these surface impurities by subjecting the incoming copper rod or bar to any acceptable cleaning and descaling treatment such as, for example, by passing the rod or bar through a conventional electrolytic cleaner 5 and a washer 6 did not entirely eliminate this difficulty although this treatment reduced the magnitude and frequency of the imperfections.

In order to more completely eliminate these surface imperfections in body 16 apparatus is provided to remove any residual water fdm on the body emerging from the washer 6 and to sweep out air and water vapor from the tubular conduit 8 leading to entrance port 14. This drying apparatus 9 is provided as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 and more particularly shown in FIG. 3.

The drying apparatus 8 illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises a tubular outer member 35 having one of its ends substantially closed by a centrally and radially apertured plug member 36. A thermally insulating tubular member 37 made of any suitable material such as bonded asbestos or the like is supported within member 35 by plug 36 and is retained in place by a centrally apertured plug 38 located adjacent the other end of member 35. A tubular member 39 is axially extended through member 35 and the central apertures of plugs 36 and 38 and is supported thereby. A tubular conduit 10 extends through the side wall of member 35 and provides for the introduction of gas from source 10 into the zone between tubular members 37 and 39 by means of the generally radial passage 40 in plug 36 as illustrated. Electrical heating elements 41 are provided for supplying heat to the incoming gas and a plurality of small openings 42 are provided in the side wall of member 39 adjacent to plug 38. As shown, body 1 passes through the interior of member 39 as indicated by the arrows and the openings 42 are inclined with respect to the surface of body 1 in such a manner that a neutral gas such as nitrogen entering the zone between members 37 and 39 by means of passage 40 is heated therein by heating elements 41 and passes through openings 42 which act as jet nozzles to impinge the jets of heated gas upon the surface of body 1 in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the body. The heated gas flows through the zone between body 1 and member 39, drying the surface of body 1 and is permitted to escape to the atmosphere at the open end of member 39 adjacent plug 36 sweeping out air and water vapor from the zone.

The body 1 is then passed through a set of conventional feeding rolls 11 enclosed in conduit 8 as shown in FIG. 1, and into a vacuum entrance chamber which is shown in FIGS. '4 and 5 which function to remove gasses and water vapor from the tubular conduit 8 and to prevent the aspiration of air or other gases into the bath 33 by the body 1.

The vacuum entrance chamber shown in FIG. 4 comprises essentially a plurality of substantially identical evacuated chambers 45 each served by a vacuum source such as a pumping means by means of conduits 46. The chambers 45 are enclosed by substantially identical wall members 47 and are separated by substantially identical diaphragm members 48 which are secured in spaced relationship by the wall members 47 as shown. The terminal chambers 45 are enclosed by enclosure elements 49 and 50 which cooperate with adjacent wall elements 47 as shown. Element 49 is provided with a centrally located apertured boss 51, the aperture comprising a curved surface having a minimum inside diameter sufiiciently large enough to permit easy motion therethrough of body 1. Element 50 comprises a centrally apertured plate-like element which supports a short tubular extension 52 as shown. The diaphragm elements 48 are centrally apertured and are each provided with a plurality of radial slits 53 as may be more clearly seen in FIG. 5. The central apertures have configurations similar to the cross-section of and only slightly smaller than body 1. A centrally apertured flexible gasket 54 of an elastomeric substance such as rubber is affixed or bonded to one side of each element 48 in such a manner that as body 1 is passed through the central aperture of element 48 the slits 53 permit the aperture to expand slightly to accommodate the body and the gasket 54 serves to seal the slit openings and any gap between the surface of body 1 and the portions of the diaphragm between adjacent slits 53. As body 1 passes sequentially through the several evacuated chambers 45, gases and water vapor are removed from the surface of the body and any gases or water vapor which may be drawn in through the aperture in boss 51 are removed by conduits 46. It is to be understood that the apertures through which body 1 passes may have any shape consistent with the configuration of body 1.

Body 1 is then passed through an entrance port 14 located in the bottom of crucible 15 as shown in FIG. 1 and, more particularly, in FIG. 6. It was determined that an entrance port 14 such as schematically shown in FIG. 2 was not satisfactory if made as an integral part of a crucible made from a soft refractory material, such as graphite, because of mechanical attrition thereof by body 1 and the tendency of such materials to deposit in a surface film upon the body. Further, the entrance port must be capable of withstanding a terminal gradient of the order of over 1000 C. to 25 C. in a short distance, repeated heating and cooling cycles, and mechanical shock without conducting a large amount of heat and without wearing or leaving a deposit on the input body 1 and must be constructed of a material which resists dissolution by the molten bath.

The entrance port which I have provided and illustrated in FIG. 6 comprises a centrally apertured cylindrical bushing element 60 of a thermally conductive material such as copper having a flange 61 at one end and a reduced cylindrical extension 62 at its other end. The centrally disposed aperture at the outer end of extension 62 is enlarged and internally threaded as shown at 63. A thin wall tubular element or bushing 64 of a refractory metal such as molybdenum is provided with a threaded collar 65 at about its midpoint and is threadedly secured to extension 62 with a portion of its length, forming a liner for extension 62 as shown. A substantially cylindrical bushing 66 of a ceramic material, such as fired alumina or the like, is provided with a central aperture which receives extension 62 and that portion of tubular element 64 which extends beyond the terminal portion of extension 62. The bottom wall of crucible 65 is provided with an aperture 67 within which is secured a substantially cylindrical centrally apertured bush ng 68 of a refractory material such as graphite which retains within its aperture ceramic bushing 66 as shown. Cooling means such as coil 69 through which coolant may be circulated is in heat exchange relationship with element 60 as shown and serves to extract heat from element 60 and tubular element 64.

In operation, body 1 passes through the central aperture of element 60 and through the refractory metal tubular member 64 and emerges in the bath of molten material contained in crucible 15. The internal dimensions and configuration of tubular member 64 is such that body 1 may freely pass therethrough under vacuum but molten material may not leak downwardly along body 1.

As previously stated, it is desirable to continuously supply crucible 15 with molten material at a rate equal to the rate at which molten material is removed therefrom by secretion on body 1. An apparatus for supplying molten material in this manner is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

In FIG. 7 a crucible 70 is provided with heating element 71 embedded in a thermal insulating shield 72 surrounding the crucible 70. A thermal insulating coyer 73 is provided for the crucible. An inclined meltlng hearth 74 is in communication with the interior of the crucible and is provided with a thermal insulation 75 which extends around and above the inclined hearth to form enclosed passage 76 opened at its outer and inner ends as shown. Heating elements 77 are embedded in the thermal insulation 75 and heat the hearth and the enclosed passage as may best be seen in FIG. 8. A roller type conveyor 78 may be advantageously employed to deliver slabs 79 of material to be melted to the inclined hearth.

In operation, slabs 79 of material are placed upon the inclined hearth 74 and melted by applying heat. thereto by means of heating elements 77. The slope of the hearth is such that the slabs will not slip or slide down the hearth and into the crucible 70 but molten material formed as the slab melts will readily drain from the hearth into the crucible to form a bath 80 of molten material therein. Heating elements 71 maintain bath 80 at the desired temperature and molten material from bath 80 may then be drawn off from the bottom of the bath by means of tubular conduit 26 as desired and the flow controlled by means of a suitable control valve 27, shown in FIG. 1, so that the bath depth in crucible 15 may be readily controlled. The heated conduit or launder 28 serves to prevent loss of heat and solidification of molten material in the conduit from the valve 27 to the crucible 15 and may be supplied with heat in any convenient manner. If desired, a neutral or reducing gas atmosphere such as nitrogen or a mixture of nitrogen and carbon monoxide, for example, may be continuously supplied to the crucible 70 by means of a conduit 81 and as this atmosphere escapes through passage 76 it prevents oxidation of the molten and melting material upon the hearth and sweeps out contaminants which may be evolved by the effect of heating the natural surface contamination present in many materials of which the slabs may be composed. If the atmosphere employed is reducing, reduction of oxides may also be accomplished. A principal advantage arising from adding material to crucible 15 from an apparatus as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is that the material is introduced to the bath 33 in the molten state and does not drastically alter the temperature of bath 33, as would be the case if massive bodies of solid material at room temperature were added to the bath. This renders the temperature as well as the depth of the bath 33 much easier to control.

By way of example, I will now describe a typical use of this apparatus in carrying out the process of my invention. A length of commercially obtained nominal /16 inch diameter copper rod 1 (actually measuring 0.307

inch in diameter) was passed through straightener 4, cleaner 5, washer 6, guide 7, drier 9, vacuum entrance chamber 12 and entrance port 14 into crucible 15. A bath 33 of molten copper 6 inches in depth was maintained in crucible 15 by controlled, continuous addition of molten copper from furnace 25 to replace copper removed from bath 33 by body 1 as it was passed therethrough. The temperature of the bath 33 was maintained at about 1120 'C., the temperature of the body 1 entering the bath was approximately room temperature or about 25 C. and the rod 1 was passed through the bath 33 at a rate of about 40 feet per minute.

The body 16 emerging from the bath had a substantially circular configuration and was passed through sizing rolls 17 and cooling conduit 1 to a receiving container 19. The surface temperature of body 16 as it emerged from bath 33 was of the order of 1000 C. and, as is Well known in the art, copper oxidizes very severely in the air at elevated temperatures. Therefore, an enclosure was provided for the top of crucible 15 which enclosed rolls 17 and joined cooling conduit 18. An atmosphere of nitrogen was provided for the enclosure including conduit 18 to effectively prevent oxidation of rod 16.

The average diameter of circular cross-section rod 16 at room temperature was 0.529 inch. From this it may be seen that the ratio of output to input is about 3.10 to 1. Stated otherwise, each pound of body 1 passed through bath 33 had about 2.1 pounds of copper deposited thereon by accretion.

While the foregoing example specifically illustrates the application of my invention to a particular material, size and configuration of input body, depth of bath, speed of input body and bath temperature, it is to be understood that all these factors may be varied Without departing from the scope of my invention. Further, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the mechanical arts that while I have disclosed that preferably a portion of body 16 is reduced in cross-sectional area and configuration to form a body 1' having a length substantially equal to the length of body 1 and that this body 1' is utilized to replenish body 1 and the remainder of body 16 is diverted as product 23, that all of body 16 may be reduced to the cross-sectional area and configuration of body 1 and the entire body recirculated any number of times through bath 33 before a product 23 is segregated or removed. It may similarly occur to those skilled in the art that the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 may be only one stage in a series of similar organizations in which product 23 is allowed to remain at its largest cross-sectional area, i.e., that of body 16, and is used as an input body 1 in a subsequent stage to produce a yet larger cross-section body. It is obvious that in this manner elongated bodies having larger and larger crosssectional areas may be advantageously produced if desired.

While the preceding disclosure has been directed to apparatus in which the entry port is located in the bottom of crucible 15, it is contemplated that body 1 may enter the crucible at any point below or above the surface of bath 33 and pass therethrough in any attitude consistent with the particular structure of the apparatus and the thermal and other metallurgical characteristics of the material employed. Thus, for example, the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 9 may be used to carry out the present invention process. In this case a substrate body 85 of copper, steel or the like is run downwardly instead of upwardly into a bath 87 of molten material such as copper, aluminum, steel and the like, entering this liquid body through its top surface instead of at a point below its top level, as shown in FIG 2.

The apparatus of FIG. 9 may generally be regarded as being that of FIG. 1 except for the substitution of a crucible 89 of special design for crucible 15, vacuum entry chamber 12 and entrance port 14. Body 85 then is subjected to the same preparation as body 1 and is protected and processed following emergence from the dipping bath in the same manner as described above in reference to FIG. 1.

Crucible 89, unlike crucible 15, is provided with a Weir 90 projecting downwardly and extending across the central portion of the crucible to divide the space above bath 87 into two separate chambers 92 and 93. Openings 95 and 96 to admit body 85 into chamber 92 and to permit withdrawal of body 85 from chamber 93 are provided in the top wall or cover portion of the crucible. Opening 95 is substantially larger than the cross-section of body 85, while opening 96 preferably will more closely approximate the size of the body. Another opening 97 in the crucible cover permits communication of a source of molten material (such as furnace 25) with chamber 93 through conduit 28, as in the case of the FIG. 1 apparatus. A bell 100 is disposed on top of the crucible cover and provides an antechamber for chamber 92 and through a suitable opening in the bell sidewall a connection to a vacuum source 13 is made for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a vacuum in chamber 92 while the process of this invention is being performed. An opening in the top of bell 100 serves to admit body 85 to the evacuated region as the body is delivered from washer 6, dryer 7 and feeder rolls 11 (see FIG. 1). As the body exists from chamber 93 through opening 96 it enters conduit 18 wherein it is engaged by sizing rolls 17 and is cooled under a protective atmosphere to prevent excessive oxidation while at elevated temperatures.

By way of further illustration of the present invention, but without imposing any limitation upon the appended claims, in using the FIG. 9 apparatus body 85 of steel rod will suitably be preheated to a temperature of 900 C. and then run into bell 100 and chamber 92 wherein a vacuum of mm. of mercury is maintained. Body 85 enters copper melt 87 through the surface of the melt in chamber 92 and while the body is subject to the said vacuum and then passes under weir 90 and upwardly into chamber 93 where a nitrogen atmosphere is maintained. The body is run out of crucible 89 through opening 96 and at that point enters cooling conduit 18 wherein the temperature of the surface of the body is reduced to a level below the melting points or eutectic points of the oxides of copper, i.e., about 20 C. below the melting point temperature of copper.

By preheating the steel substrate body to 900 C. the amount of copper cast on or accreted from the bath is drastically limited. It will therefore be understood that be regulating the extent of such preheating the weight of cast-on metal can be closely controlled, all other variables such as bath temperature and speed of body travel through the bath being maintained constant. Accordingly, it is contemplated that in carrying out this new process the substrate body may be preheated to a temperature between 100 C. and 900 C., or as previously described in detail in reference to FIG. 1 it may be heated little if at all above room temperature in some operations.

The optimum economic conditions for any particular case may be determined experimentally through testing various combinations and permutations of values of the significant perameters of the process including the temperature of the substrate as it is introduced into the bath of molten metal. Thus I have found in the case of an 0.307 inch diameter copper rod, at an initial temperature of 25 C., passing through a copper bath at a temperature of 1100 C. produces a pick-up ratio (weight of cast on layer/weight of core) approximating 2.3 at an immersion time of approximately 0.5 second. A feasible range of exposure time in the bath under such conditions is 0.2 to 1.2 seconds, while a feasible range of bath temperature for copper is 1090 C. to 1150 C.

Those skilled in the art will understand that when this present process is employed to produce composites such as copper-coated steel or stainless steel-coated steel, it will not usually be desirable to recirculate a part of the product as a substrate or heat sink. It will also be understood that whatever the source of the heat sink body, this body will be of substantially smooth and even surface regardless of its cross-sectional shape and dimensions. Such a condition facilitates cleaning of the body and the formation of a strong continuous bond between the heat sink and the casting even where these are of different metals and the final product is a composite. Also this enables effective sealing against drawing of molten metal out of the crucible in the bottom-entry apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2, but it additionally enables the effective application of vacuum to the heat sink body to the point of immersion of the body in the metal bath. By way of example, using a smooth copper core rod I have found workable tolerances between bushing 64 (FIG. 6) and body 1 to be in the range from 0.002 to 0.013 inch on core rod or body 1 diameters between 0.258 and 0.362 inch. The preferred tolerance range for 0.362 copper core rod is 0.004 to 0.008 inch.

It will be understood that whether the method of this invention is carried out in the apparatus of FIG. 1 or in that of FIG. 9, or in still another different sort of apparatus, the varieties of core and cladding metals or materials open to selection will remain the same. In other words, although one or another such apparatus lends itself particularly well to one core-cladding combination, the other combinations may be produced with consistently satisfactory results in that apparatus and likewise, that certain combinations may satisfactorily be made in other apparatus. By way of example, the FIG. 9 apparatus is well suited for the copper cladding of steel while the FIG. 1 apparatus which does not require the bending of the substrate body or core in the melt, is especially suitable for cladding copper cores with copper and other metals.

Having thus described this invention in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, and having set forth the best mode contemplated of carrying out this invention, I state that the subject matter which I regard as being my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in what is claimed, it being understood that equivalents or modifications of, or substitutions for, parts of the specifically described embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in what is claimed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In the continuous metal casting method in which a cleaned solid metal body is run lengthwise through a molten bath of casting metal, the combination of the steps of establishing the temperature of the said solid body at a level substantially blow the freezing point temperature of the bath metal, running the said relatively cold solid metal body through an evacuated region and thereby subjecting the said body to a moderate vacuum of less than about '5 millimeters of mercury, introducing the relatively cold body directly from the evacuated region into the molten casting metal bath to increase the cross-sectional area of said solid body by causing accretion of molten casting metal thereon, and then removing the solid body of increased cross-sectional area from the molten casting metal bath.

1 1 1 2 2. The continuous casting method of claim 1, wherein 2,346,523 4/1944 Vincent 11741 said molten casting metal bath is a molten copper bath, 2,518,268 8/1950 Bancroft 11761 X the molten copper accreting upon said solid body to in- 2,685 124 8 /1954 T l i 117 107 X crease the cross-sectional diameter thereof. 2,716 790 9/ 1955 Brennan 22 .73 3. In the continuous copper casting method of claim 2, 5 2,763,570 9 /1956 Shepard et a1 117 61 XR the step which comprises removing the solid body of in- 2,771,568 11/1956 steigerwald creased cross-sectional area from the molten copper bath in successive increments of length through a nitrogen at- FOREIGN PATENTS mosphere, and cooling the resulting copper casting on the 706,113 3/1954 Great B i i said solid metal body under nitrogen until the temperature 10 OTHER REFEREN C E S of the surface of the casting is below 500 C.-

Seybolt and Burke: Procedures in Experimental Metal- Refelellces Cited y the Examine! lurgy, page 112, 1953 John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New

UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 York- 1,322,327 11/1919 Minton 11761 X 2,123,894 7/1938 Hazelett 29 333 WHITMORE WILTZ, Primary Examiner- 2,197,622 4/ 1940 Sendzimir 11751 WILLIAM D. MARTIN, JOHN F. CAMPBELL, 2,294,750 9/ 1942 Harris 1l7-1 14 Examiners.

2,326,372 8/1943 Lignian 1l7114 

1. IN THE CONTINUOUS METAL CASTING METHOD IN WHICH A CLEANED SOLID METAL BODY IS RUN LENGTHWISE THROUGH A MOLTEN BATH OF CASTING METAL, THE COMBINATION OF THE STEPS OF ESTABLISHING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SAID SOLID BODY AT A LEVEL SUBSTANTIALLY BLOW THE FREEZING POINT TEMPERATURE OF THE BATH METAL, RUNNING THE SAID RELATIVELY COLD SOLID METAL BODY THROUGH AN EVACUATED REGION AND THEREBY SUBJECTING THE SAID BODY TO A MODERATE VACUUM OF LESS THAN ABOUT 5 MILLIMETERS OF MERCURY, INTRODUCING THE RELATIVELY COLD BODY DIRECTLY FROM THE EVACUATED REGION INTO THE MOLTEN CASTING METAL BATH TO INCREASE THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID SOLID BODY BY CAUSING ACCRETION OF MOLTEN CASTING METAL THEREON, AND THEN REMOVING THE SOLID BODY OF INCREASED CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA FROM THE MOLTEN CASTING METAL BATH. 